Where Betrayal Leads To
by Onryo
Summary: When Ahsoka discovers the major secret of her Master; something apparently starts to change inside her. And consumed by prohibited emotions the place where she will be lead to will be surrounded by shadows. Chapter 5 UP! R&R!
1. Prologue

**Title:** Where Betrayal Leads To  
**Fandom:** Star Wars-The Clone Wars  
**Summary:** When Ahsoka discovers the major secret of her Master; something apparently starts to change inside her. And consumed by prohibited emotions the place where she will be lead to will be surrounded by shadows.  
**Type:** Minific (3/?)  
**Pairing: **Anakin/Ahsoka.  
**Warnings:** Spoilers from the 3rd season

_Note_**:** The original version of this FanFiction (which is written in Spanish) is dedicated to Dryadeh as a Christmas virtual gift, and this one is for her as well. I hope that you, Dry, like this version as well –you will see that has some changes ;)

_Author note (3-14-11): _ I would like to give a huge thanks to _Saint Sentiment_, who beta this story to correct all my mistakes. Thanks to every reader that had pointed out some mistakes and made suggestions, such as _CrazyChick08_, and thanks to _LadyDae_ who encouraged and explain me how to get a Beta Reader :) So, now I'll stop bothering you… May the Force be with you! Enjoy the reading!

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**Where betrayal leads to**

_Prologue_

Rage and hate. Two emotions that every Jedi should avoid feeling, because they were related with the Dark Side of the Force, a deep, dark, endless abyss which did not have an exit. But she couldn't help that they tied tightly into her heart, mixing with other equally harmful feelings-betrayal, fear, pain. And on top of all that there was the image that seemed to have been engraved in her mind and couldn't be erased from there.

She wished she had never been there. Why did she even want to see Padmé precisely that day anyway? Why hadn't she waited until the following day? Maybe because she had thought that by chatting with her she could tear apart all the pressing problems related to the war. But she was wrong. The only thing it produced was the mixing of all those emotions, smothering her. The image came to her mind once again, bloodier that before, burning her, destroying her.

_The senator and her Master, together, kissing each other_.

A treacherous tear burned her cheek. Forming attachments was not allowed; it wasn't something that a Jedi should do. However, it was true. The eminent, brilliant, talented general Skywalker was breaking one of the most important rules of the Jedi Order. She knew that he was considered as one of a kind, not only for his methods also for his slightly unconventional-aside from risky and suicidal-plans of attack, but Ahsoka had never thought he would reach that extreme: breaking the rules.

Ahsoka stopped, held her breath and then everything seemed to hit her with more strength than a while ago. Her Master, her mentor, the one who was designated to guide her in knowledge of the Force as well as train her in order to make the young Togruta into an excellent, remarkable Jedi, had betrayed the Order. But what hurt the most wasn't only precisely that, but the fact that he had betrayed her.

Betrayal. Lies. Now she understood why he always faded away conveniently whenever they got back to Coruscant from a mission—all the sudden unanswered calls and the hurried and lightly credible excuses began to have an explanation. He had been lying to her all the time, he hadn't trusted her or anything… Suddenly all those years they'd spent together were reduced to dust: she had no clue about who he was. Everything could easily be a well-constructed façade and the secrets, the real him, were hiding behind it. Secrets like the one that had been discovered earlier and should have never been revealed.

She didn't understand why, or maybe she didn't want to understand it, because maybe denial was the only safe shelter that remained for her. She clenched her fists and tried to pull back the tears, but all her efforts were in vain.

Why was it affecting her that way? Why did it hurt that way? She was nothing more than his apprentice, and he her Master. In spite of the betrayal there was nothing that should cause her such pain, as if her heart had been pulled out by the roots from her chest. Even though, naturally, she had never been heart-broken.

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This chapter is short because it's the prologue, the upcoming ones will be longer, or at least that's what I am up to. So... what do you think about it? Too exaggerated, stupid, idiotic? I would like to know your opinion, so please, tell me, it does not matter if it's a good or bad one, I am ready to receive some critics :) By the way, if you're here means that you've completed the reading so thank you so much!

As I've said, comments are welcomed :)

Kind regards,

**.Onryo.**


	2. Chapter 1

Thank you so much for all your reviews! I did not expect such a thing so they totally surprised me and I am so glad that you've enjoyed the story enough to waste your time leaving a review… thank you soooooo much! :D And I must apologize because I was supposed to update sooner... I hope you still want to read this xD However, enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!

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_-Chapter I-_

"Hey, how are you, Snips?" he greeted her, apparently with a lack of concern, placing the lightsaber on the table.

She had two different emotions that pulled deeply inside of her, in opposite directions. The first one was the rage boiling inside and the second one was the deep sadness, which made her want to hide her face and start to cry. Instead of screaming with rage or bursting into tears she gave a hint of a disgusted face.

Obviously, her master did not notice it: he seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Ahsoka tried to shut up that voice in her mind that was telling her he was thinking about Padme. The image of the previous day slipped again in her head, and stayed there, while she felt her throat become a tight knot.

"Good," she moaned angrily in reply at last, did not even bother hiding her bad mood.

There was a bit of confusion on Anakin's expression, but he seemed to play down the importance of it when he announced to her that he would be at the Senate and left a few minutes later, reminding her that she had to talk with Master Windu about the advance of the Separatist troops on the Outter Rim.

Ahsoka had to grab the glass in order to keep it from trembling uncontrollably. He was going to see her, it was always her, always. The jealousy took over her mind. He preferred to be with Padmé rather than with her, he chose to waste hours in the Senate and not devise battle strategies with her… Until then she had not noticed it, but that woman had always been in first place. How blind she had been, so damn and completely blind.

"I never had a chance," she cried in pain. New tears threatened to roll down her cheeks.

All those times that she saved him, like when he was hit by an explosion and she had to scour a whole planet looking for help to prevent him from dying (or when she thwarted Ventress and Griveous' plans of killing him in Hoth, or the numerous times she had saved him from dying or being badly injured). Each one of them had caused nothing except to consolidate her bond with him, and deep inside her something had started to grow up slowly that was not a simple relationship between Master and Padawan. She did not feel it that way, her heart either. In her eyes he was (or had been) perfect. Always so brave, intrepid… a clear reflection of what she aimed to be. Perhaps the way in which her Master watched over her safety had been the most aggravating thing of all.

_"I can't let you die, Ahsoka!"_

All those times when he made her feel what she was worth—that she was not just a simple girl who was trying desperately to become a Jedi—his praises, his proud glances at her, the encouraging words when he noticed she was depressed or things were cloudy… They made her feel that she had gained a place in his heart; that at least he appreciated her.

Maybe it was because of his protective spirit, for the daily familiarity which was entreated to her. Ahsoka did not know how or when, but she had fallen for him. Or maybe her eyes had been blinded until that event removed the cloth which had been covering them, showing her the hidden truth that remained on her feelings.

And everything she had done was not worth it, because he had paid her with lies. It was unfair. She was the one who had been by his side in plenty of battles and missions. When he was hurt, who had watched his back? It had always been her. It was unfair that he preferred the senator. The young Togruta had risked her own life for him. What could be said about the senator Amidala? How many times did she pull him from his pit or have to deal with a bunch of droidekas to keep him alive? One, two? Maybe three, she thought, and that was excessive.

Thinking of all that was not helping her, instead of minimizing the pain, only maximized it more, as if she was inserting venom in an open wound and having it travel slowly through her body, infecting it. Hate, rage, and jealousy seemed to be filling up each vein, with each fiber of her body concentrating on it inside her heart. Her broken heart.

She sat up and got closer to the window. Outside it was a mass of traffic, an explosion of sounds, of thousands of forms of life that were moving. She wondered how her life would be from now on, now she knew the major secret of her Master, now that she was aware of his betrayal to the Jedi Order.

The jealousy boiled inside her veins once again, but she doubted that it was the right idea. She could not stand that he had been lied to in that way, so cruelly, and her wishes to go and tell everything to the Council were increasing. Suddenly, betraying the trust of her Master and presenting him to all of them did not seem like a bad idea. It did not make her feel guilty; on the contrary, as he was the one who had lied to her the idea had a nice flavor to it.

Revenge.

If she did so, she would be moved for that emotion. Deep down inside her she knew it wasn't right, that she was not supposed to be full of such feelings. But she could not help it, it was stronger than her, as if a seductive voice was whispering into her ears that she had to do so, that the feelings of hate, rage and jealousy was good after everything she had gone through, that she had the right. And Ahsoka listened to it, let it slide into her mind. It made her feel less lonely, offended and betrayed.

The emotions were providing her a consolation that reality could not. She knew it was wrong, but she could not and did not want to avoid it, as if a small part of her was becoming infected by those thoughts and feelings.

On the horizon she could see the abyss, the shadows and the darkness. But they did not scare her like it would have some time ago. With a painful smile and a tear rolling down her cheek, she let the shadows go deeper into her heart.

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Okay, there are references to some events that did not take place and that is because I am planning to go back and relate some past missions that our beloved Snips and Skyguy had together (which did not appear on the show because they could not make the pairing more obvious xD), along with an Ahsoka realizing about some things she had not noticed before… but that will have to wait a week or so. Egyptian curses, bombs and a whole gang of droids programmed to kill me must be sent by review, please :)

Kind Regards,

**.Onryo.**


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; that awesome universe belongs to George Lucas. This is just a fan fiction, written by a fan in order to entertain other fans :)

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_-Chapter II-_

"Good morning, Master Skywalker," a feminine voice said.

The person in question turned around, drifted his attention from the computer that was in front of him–where he had been checking information about the advance of the Separatist troops-to the owner of that voice: his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who seemed to be in a better mood than in the morning. That made him happy since a strange uncertainty had remained until that moment–and the reason had been her behavior when they met earlier.

"Good morning, Padawan Ahsoka," he answered, serious. He looked at her as he raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you call me 'Master Skywalker'?" he asked, skeptic.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Master." she added, with a comic smile.

"Never mind, that doesn't matter. I came here to tell you that Master Windu requests the report of your last mission, as soon as possible. Apparently, he thinks it's related with something that has come up." she ended with a hint of monotony in her voice.

He nodded in answer. Ahsoka didn't know what to do next. Should she tell her that she had caught him with the Senator? Or should she keep it to herself to avoid hurting him? That last thought sounded a bit stupid in her mind, considering how she ended up feeling after discovering it. Even so, lately, there was an emotion that had tried to take over her anger and rage, as if a little part deep inside her wanted to protect him.

She loved him. It was nonsense that she kept denying it, although accepting it brought pain. In some way, it made her feel more relaxed, in spite of the fact that she could not exterminate what she felt. No matter how eagerly she wanted to, she did not want to keep feeling that way, so extremely hurt. Two nights ago she had cried so much that an intense pain afflicted her all the time, and added to the emotional pain it wasn't good for her. Ahsoka wanted everything to go back to normal, deep inside her she wished she could erase those images from her head, block the emotions that had come up, but it was as feasible as preventing time from passing by. It had happened, and her mind insisted on reviving those memories, that voice increased her torture without rest.

A part of her wanted to resign and let it be, while the other, more daring, had the objective of facing him and, maybe get some kind of pay back for the betrayal she had suffered. However, the idea of telling everything to the Council gave her the creeps, especially when she thought about everything that could happen. Even so, the sweet flavor didn't leave her mouth, the same she had tasted at the thought of taking revenge. That scared her.

"Hey, Snips, are you listening to me?" the voice of her Master broke her thoughts.

She shook her head slightly, trying to dispel those ideas from her mind. She raised her head and shifted her attention on him, adopted an apologetic expression and raised both eyebrows briefly to signal him to repeat what she hadn't heard.

He seemed a little bit taken aback by her behavior, as evoked by the confused face that drew some wrinkles on his face. But Ahsoka knew by heart all his expressions, as well as his inflections, and gesture could never go unnoticed. However, she didn't say anything, she simply kept waiting. The young Togruta did not understand the justification for her mentors' doubt.

"I was telling you that I am going to give the report to Master Windu, I had it done already." he made a pause, scrutinizing her with his gaze. "And I think that it is appropriate for us to take a day off. Our last mission wiped us out and I think that we charged at enough droids. So you can do whatever you want. I suppose that Barris has come back from her mission as well…"

She didn't listen to him anymore. He was leaving her aside, again. Her hands trembled for the effort that she was making to prevent them from clenching. It was always her. He was going to see her. And Ahsoka was left alone, as if the Jedi didn't care about her at all. The anger built up in her mind once again. She clenched her jaw trying to control herself, and she had no clue how long she could stand. She wouldn't do it, she would not show her weakness and certainly not at that moment, when anything could detonate the bomb filled with her emotions, which had already started its countdown.

"Don't worry, Master, I'm sure that Barris wouldn't mind spending time with me, unlike other people." she ended, with an acidic tone and a hint of rancor in her voice.

She only saw his astonished face and, before he opened his mouth to retort, she had already spun on her heels and exited the room. Ahsoka did not care about what he would think nor his endless sermons either. At that particular moment she didn't care about anything at all. She toughly clenched her jaw, holding back a furious scream of frustration, which was climbing up her throat. Ahsoka didn't want him to go like that and dump her there. She felt like an abandoned rag doll. After all, at least she only wanted to chat with him, about random or important things, but without the war swarming around with its weapons and death out there.

The Padawan got to her room, rushed towards her bed and hid her face on the pillow; smothering that dying scream of pain against the cloth, before it ripped her throat. She trembled slightly as she tasted the salty flavor of the tears in her mouth. She was afraid, extremely afraid. Those feelings caused her a brief pleasure, were an exhaust valve, but then the guilt came to weigh in every fiber of her body. She couldn't control those emotions; they were stronger than her rationality, stronger than the Jedi training she had received since childhood.

When she realized that, she felt a dying pain hurting her chest, because, somehow, she was betraying every single rule that she had swore to respect. She was failing.

Didn't she want to show everyone–especially her Master-that she could handle everything that being a Jedi implied?

**|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|**

"And then we succeeded in beating those Separatist troops!" Barris ended, with modesty, as she left the glass on the table. She glanced at Ahsoka, curious. "But that's routine. What about you? What have you been up to?"

The young Togruta was jabbing the food on her plate with apathy, apparently distracted, as if she wasn't really listening to the girl before her. Barris didn't miss out the fact that she was lost in her thoughts.

Barris coughed to get her attention. Ahsoka blinked, snapping out of her trance, and then glanced at her. The Padawan only gave a hint of a smile, which was actually laconic, and for the expression in Ahoska's face Barris thought it was kind of bitter. The Jedi knight stared at her, comprehensive, to make her feel comfortable enough to add something more. However, the face that Ahsoka adopted made her think that maybe she wouldn't want to do so. At that moment, Barris almost shivered as she felt a wave of sadness, rage and rancor that seemed to come from Ahsoka.

"Nothing interesting. Master Skywalker still doesn't let me go on missions in which, according to him, my life is at risk." she could appreciate that every word was full of sharpness and sarcasm. "It's not fair. He doesn't trust me." That last sentence was pronounced with a hint of pain Ahsoka didn't succeed in hiding.

She looked in her eyes. It seemed that, all of a sudden that vivaciousness, that daring bright characteristic of her had been taken away. Barris associated her eyes with two dark caves where the light was blinking weakly, as if courage and temerity have disappeared.

She wasn't able to find any reason, and thought that asking Ahsoka wouldn't be appropriate. It was obvious that she was not going to give her an answer, and on the other hand there were those emotions she had sensed before, which were proof that something had happened since their last encounter. Something wasn't right, but Barris didn't know how she could become closer as her friend in order to ask her about it. She doubted that that would even happen.

The phrase "He doesn't trust me" definitely astonished her. As far as she knew, Anakin Skywalker was one of the Masters–or maybe the only one-that thought highly of his apprentices. To her eyes, he trusted Ahsoka with his life, and since he had developed a strong bond with his Padawan, it was understandable that he was being overprotective. It was not because he didn't trust her, he just didn't want her to get hurt.

"I am sure that your Master trusts you a lot." she replied with a warm smile that was meant to be comforting, but the young Togruta didn't show any sign of relief. "He wants to keep you safe and make sure nothing happens to you. Believe me, your Master would never lose his faith in you; many times he had even trusted you with his life. What more could you possibly ask for?"

At that point, Ahsoka's first instinct was to reply that if he trusted her so much, he should have told her the truth from the start-that he had a relationship with the Senator. But no, he had kept that for himself. If he trusted her so much, he would have let her take her own risks and wouldn't interfere in her decisions… It was her own damn life which was in danger, not his. If he thought so highly of her, he wouldn't mind spending some time with her.

The hateful voice, which she had started to fear, came up once again in her mind. It seemed that she was seeing everything again before her eyes, and it was torturing. She desperately needed to stop thinking about it, but it was nearly impossible. Each time that she tried to meditate or make her mind go blank, the images were reproduced non-stop in her head, while she was the target of painful emotions.

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka tried to shift her mind to happier memories, of past missions, where there wasn't any betrayal haunting her. _A hint of a smile started to curve her lips as she started to recall the mission where she was the one who had saved his life._

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First of all, I am terribly sorry for the delay, I didn't mean this to happen but I had to deal with the University entrance exam and I was kind of overwhelmed with the study and all. So I ask for your forgiveness, and hope that you weren't considering sending me an ancient curse (or General Griveous) to make me update once and for all xD

As you may have noticed, I wanted to introduce another point of view apart from Ahsoka's. So, it seems that Barris has noticed that there is something bothering Ahsoka, while the Padawan tries to find a safety valve to get rid of everything… I haven't forgot Anakin, he would return soon (with reflections, hypothesis and his characteristic overprotection) but first I have to smooth the path for what is coming (and when those events arrive, I hope that I can come up with longer chapters, because you TOTALLY DESERVE it, guys!). I hope you have enjoyed this chapter!

And I want to give the following persons a huge thanks (along with a brand new lightsaber included for each one of them ;) ) for reviewing and giving me some critics: _mrs. skywalker987_, _LadyDae_, _Gone Rampant_, _Blackrose_, _skywalker02_, _Son_, _StarWarsGeekie_ and _Ami_. Thank you sooooooooo much! Make sure you leave a e-mail address so I can reply your reviews (in case you want so). And thanks to the ones who have submitted the story to your faves! :D

Kind regards,

**.Onryo.**

P.S: I've posted some information about the updates at my LiveJournal, so make sure you check it out! ;) –the link is at my profile, is the _Homepage_ one at the top-.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter III

Hoth was a system that had no strategic value, at least for the moment. It was located on the Outer Rim, far away from any route of importance to the Galactic Republic. However, its ephemeral value was, precisely, what made the Jedi Council suspect.

It was inhabitable to any live form. That was the point. The Separatist troops were droids, so they would have no problems with the extreme conditions and be able to build a base, which would be a covert threat that no one would become aware of until it was too late. The Republic Allies would succumb to its deadly power and the scales of the war would tilt to the opposite side. The smallest possibility could become a fact from one moment to another, so the Republic had to do routine checks, especially if there were lives at risk.

The Chancellor had insisted that building a base there would be pointless, pointing out that the location did not pose any military advantage at all. However he assented to send in a recognition troop. Just in case, the Jedi Council commanded the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano to report to the Hoth System as well. Aside from their usual distrust of him, there seemed to be something suspicious about the Chancellor's lack of concern. It would be better if they got the information directly.

Although Master Kenobi also thought that the possibility of the Separatist presence in Hoth was quite remote, Ahsoka still had a bad feeling about it. She had a bad feeling in her gut each time she thought about Hoth, a feeling that did not go away, not even after she talked to her Master about it. She sensed beforehand that something was going to happen and didn't like the look of it either.

"It's just a recognition mission, Snips." he cooled her down. "Then we'll return to Coruscant."

Yes, that was what the Jedi Council had instructed them by Master Plo Koon. If she considered every mission she had taken part in, this one in particular shouldn't be a problem for her. Still, it made her worry, too much for her taste… The young Padawan tried to comfort herself. If her Master hadn't felt anything, maybe she was misinterpreting the Force.

She tried to dispel those thoughts from her mind while they made their way into the Twilight. The routine activity of the Jedi Cruiser managed to distract her a little bit, especially when she had to move aside so some clones could get to the bridge.

However, the worry didn't just simply vanish from her mind. Spending time on the bridge wouldn't really help–in fact, it would have been worse for her current situation-so the Togruta headed to the canteen, hoping that having something warm to eat would make her feel better, even if was just temporary.

Nevertheless, the Padawan just stared at her plate filled of steaming Aurebesh soup with an absent glare.

What was that odd feeling which had been haunting her for days then? At the beginning, it was like a slight discomfort, one she had associated with the tiredness that had caught her body after the recent battle of Geonosis. But the days off at the Jedi Temple had passed by and that emotion hadn't abandoned her. And each time she felt it, seemed stronger than the previous one, as if was growing little by little, and turned out as an awkward, alert, painful heaviness. Something she linked with those emotions that had rushed through her body some time ago, when she was at the verge of being thrown to space by the bounty hunter Cad Bane.

She trembled involuntarily. Ahsoka was reminded of the breathlessness caused by her desperation, which closed her throat and paralysed her completely, as it blinked mute in her eyes. If _he _hadn't been there, she would have died.

"Ahsoka, I thought you hated to meditate. Are you looking hypnotically at the vapour of your soup to inspire yourself or is it just a simple expression?" a voice suddenly said, startling her.

She looked up and saw her Master sitting down in front of her, with one of his humorous smiles. Ashamed, Ahsoka denied energetically and then gulped down a spoonful of soup.

At that reaction, her Master couldn't help but burst out laughing, which made Ahsoka feel rather awkward and ridiculous. She looked at him, slightly angry, and the Jedi Knight did nothing but shrug his shoulders, as if nothing had happened, although her Padawan caught a glimpse of a smile that was vaguely curving his lips. Would he smile that often once they get to Hoth?

Ahsoka focused once again on the food. However, she knew that, no matter what she did, the feeling would not leave her alone. Although she hated to meditate, it seemed to be the only possible solution that would help her to calm down and keep that one special thought away… Naturally, since there was a war out there, maybe she wouldn't have enough time to do so.

"What's up, Snips?" Anakin asked, as he noticed the troubled, low mood of her Padawan and the light preoccupation that emanated from her. He had been noticing it since they left Coruscant and it seemed to increase as time passed and they got closer to Hoth.

Ahsoka did not answer immediately. She ate what was left of the soup, while she thought on what to say next.

"There's something about the mission that makes me feel uneasy, as if something is going to happen." she said at last, faltering.

"You shouldn't worry that much, Ahsoka. It's just a recognition mission, and in case there's any base in any planet of the Hoth system we have Captain Rex and his troops ready to battle." He cooled her down, calmly. "Besides, as if they ever win." he added, and failed tremendously to hide the arrogance.

She couldn't help but laugh.

"They wouldn't stand a chance, right Master?" she asked, funny.

"Not in a million years, my young Padawan." he answered.

And although Ahsoka didn't notice it, he looked at her with pride. To that result, she was vital in the equation. No battalion of droids could defeat two lightsabers if they were the ones who carried them. Simply, they made a good team.

**|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|**

"Yes, Master, as you wish." Count Dooku solemnly expressed after bowing briefly.

The hologram before him seemed to smile under his hood, as if he was extremely pleased about something. A malevolent laugh bubbled in his throat.

Jedis were too predictable. The recent events offered him an interesting juncture. One he would take advantage of to facilitate his plans.

Waste of time. Anakin Skywalker could resume his opinion about the mission in those few words. Besides, he did not understand why the Council had to send them, if it was just a simple recognition mission; their participation wasn't necessary at all. They had to look after the peace of the galaxy, and if peace was what they were after then the war had to end. And when that day finally came, he would be able to relax, to see his angel.

So they had to be in the front, fighting. Anakin doubted that freezing over in a lost System forgotten by the Force was a sensible way to fight for the end of the Clone Wars. It was incoherent–apart from ridiculous.

Sometimes he wondered what the Council was thinking.

On the other hand, he had carried out his duty as General brilliantly so far. So, wasn't it logical to trust the troops that were defending the Republic from the Separatis in the front? Of course, the Council never had a lot of confidence in him, and Anakin knew that. They hadn't started off with the right foot, as they were reticent to allow his training, and when Obi-wan's gift of the gab made them give in, Anakin disobeyed direct orders. Maybe he hadn't been very sensible.

But the impulsiveness usually won over the good sense, especially in his case.

The Jedi Knight dragged his attention back to the computers of the cruiser. There was another half hour to go before they reached their destination. And he already knew that it would be eternal, particularly when there was nothing urgent to do, or important, or both. He whispered, tired.

There had to be something productive to do. Maybe training with the lightsaber. Ahsoka would have to continue her training in _Djem _eventually. And speaking of his Padawan, it would probably be useful to keep worries away from her mind—he trusted her with his life, but he had to be honest, meditation wasn't one of her strong points.

Anakin saved the intercom in his pocket and headed to the quarters. While he was getting there, he tried to perceive any disturbance in the Force, since Ahsoka had demonstrated to have remarkable skills and the idea that he was missing something was a possibility. But it didn't matter how much he tried, he sensed nothing.

The fact of her being distracted worried him. If she were distracted, she wouldn't focus. And the war did not have mercy with those who weren't paying attention at the crucial moment. If there were something waiting for them in Hoth, the Jedi Knight would have to be extra careful. His Padawan would be impulsive and anything could happen to her.

_Anakin couldn't stand losing her._

He didn't care about those 'Destiny', 'being one with the Force' things. He was her Master; it was his duty to look after her security. And even attachments were forbidden according to his point of view. It was part of his duty as Master.

The Jedi knocked slightly on the door and waited for an answer. There was none. She was there, and he could sense it. He entered the room as silently as he could. Ahsoka was sat with her legs crossed on her bed, her eyes were closed and her breathing was extremely paused.

Anakin didn't want to bother her but he could perceive the worry coming from his Padawan, although she should had cooled down the flow of her thoughts already. Knowing her, it would be very difficult for Ahsoka to reach the meditation state and leave her mind blank. The Jedi knew how much she hated meditation–and that was one of the main reasons that he used it as punishment whenever there was reason for it.

He sat on the floor, far enough so it wouldn't be uncomfortable to her if she realized he was there. The Jedi Knight stared at her for many minutes and he couldn't help but realize once again of how young she was… Each time he saw her in the bridge, he tried not to think that the young Togruta seemed out of place. Anakin understood why she was so reckless and impulsive. She wanted to show everyone that she was ready to face anything that would stand in her way, to become a real Jedi. Even though he identified with her Padawan feelings, sometimes he wished she didn't try so hard. More than once, she had risked her life.

And each time, his heart raced from desperation, from the fear of loss. Smothering fears that he had once experienced, years ago in Tattooine. Anakin wasn't looking forward to feeling the desolation taking over his heart and having to freeze it again.

_He was her Master, and he must protect her._

That was why the man felt frustrated and useless as he saw her trying to dispel her own ghosts. Ghosts that he couldn't keep her safe from: because they dwelled in her mind, intertwining with her insecurities and fears.

Anakin closed his eyes, trying to concentrate and find a way to help his Padawan, to feel what was disturbing her.

Ahsoka's uneasiness was palpable in the Force. It wasn't something vague but defined, that seemed to weigh somewhere inside his chest. And suddenly it started to sting, burning from the inside to the outside, provoking a disturbing emptiness in the heart. And then, brutal and suddenly, a deep neglect invaded him, as he felt something was tearing him apart inside. And then it arrived: the deep, intense, searing pain.

Ahsoka was the first one that opened her eyes, suffocating a scream of hurt, shrinking back as she tried to ease the sudden pain. Before she could recover, though, she felt as if someone was shaking her in the middle of that hurricane of painful emotions. The familiar voice came afterwards, oozing uneasiness.

"Ahsoka!"

The young Togruta blinked, blocking a wince of pain. She let her Master help her to rise, feeling a little bit tormented for what she had just experienced. It had been too fast to be able to appreciate it completely; Ahsoka could just catch the emotions related with what she had felt through the Force… if only she could have seen the future. Because, it _was_ the future, it had to be, didn't it?

"Ahsoka, are you feeling okay?" her Master's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She just nodded. Anakin didn't seem pleased with that, because he frowned and stared at her severely, as if he was demanding the truth. The young Padawan knew that she wouldn't be able to cheat him, although she wasn't really sure how to respond if her Master asked her about it. However, he seemed to change his mind because the Jedi just remained silent, glancing at the girl as if he was studying her reaction–or, at the same time, concentrating on the flows of the Force that could eventually gave her away so he wouldn't need to demand answers that Ahsoka wouldn't want to give him.

Anakin knew a lot about fear, too much for his taste. And that was why he became aware that the disturbance of his apprentice was nothing more than an icy fear. One that seemed to have settled down in her mind and had succeeded in increasing her hesitation and confusion, which had been troubling Ahsoka before they left the capital.

Dealing with those fears wasn't an easy job, so he didn't put pressure on her. The man just hoped that his training hadn't affected her in a way that would make her do the same that he did, long ago with the visions in which he had saw her mother dying–and a stab of pain overtook him as he recalled it.

They remained silent, supporting each other with that mute company until they heard the sound of an incoming communication. Anakin answered the call of captain Rex with apathy.

"Come in, Rex."

"We're getting closer to the Hoth System, sir," Rex spoke. "We're expected to arrive in five minutes."

"Copied, Rex. We'll meet you at the hangar."

And without exchanging a single word, Master and Padawan quickly made their way there, where the troops were ready to get on the landing ships. Ahsoka couldn't identify the precise emotion that overtook her when they entered the system from hyperspace, when she looked at Hoth for the very first time.

_But, for the way that her stomach contracted, she couldn't expect anything good. _

* * *

If you want to kill me I would have to say that I totally deserve it! I am really very sorry that it took me so long to update but I've been busy with University. I honestly don't know when I am having my winter break, but I can assure you that I'll do my best to keep the updates coming more often then (I just hope that by that time you wouldn't already sent Lord Sidious to kill me, though). However, I'd like to thank once again to Saint Sentiment who is my beta and made an amazing job correcting and editing the chapter. Of course, **I'd also want to thank all my readers** for their support, even those who are still in the shadows. You probably can't imagine how glad I am, is really nice to know that some people consider the story good enough to read it… thank you SO MUCH once again :) -yeah, get used to it, I would never ever stop saying it xD

Oh, and before I forget, Fox Scarlen and I have created a TCW forum where you can chat about anything related to the show and you'll also find fanfiction challenges and that sort of stuff (actually, we've posted a challenge already). Although we're just starting with it, we would really appreciate if you take a look at it ;) –in case you're interested, just look for the _"Aggressive Negotiators"_ forum.

Regards,

.Onryo.


	5. Chapter 4

I am terribly sorry for the delay, really. Since it's been a while since the last update, I won't hold you up that much, just enough to thank all my readers and reviewers for keeping this story alive, as well as my Beta, Saint Sentiment, for his patience. Thank you so much! :) Now yes, enjoy the reading!

* * *

_Chapter IV_

"We have finished the recognition of the area, General. There seems to be no signs of the enemy." Rex assured.

"As we've suspected." Anakin pointed out, holding a sigh. "Tell the men to split up in groups for the night guards and make sure they stick to the timetables," he added while he was walking down the camp, "and stay alert."

The Captain nodded and, after bowing respectfully, made his way to where the soldiers were. The majority of them were pitching tents as well as building barricades, dealing with the intense cold that seemed able to freeze even their thoughts.

The camp had been located next to a mountainside, so they could get some shelter from the icy weather. The Command Centre was the biggest installation, situated strategically in one of the natural caves of the mountain, where all the electronic equipment could be found as well as the quarters for the General and his Captains. The ones designated to the troops, on the other hand, were crammed into the nearest caves, as well as the Medical Wing and the vehicles to protect them from the cold. As the troops explored the area, more and more control points were built to secure the territory. Unfortunately, despite all their efforts to safeguard themselves from the weather, it was impossible not to feel its intensity.

Anakin headed to the Command Centre, head bowed, with something more than the mission taking over his thoughts: the behaviour of his apprentice.

The young Padawan had barely said something since they arrived on the planet; besides, he could feel her perturbation easily, which only increased his concern. He hoped that the fears were not caging her. He wanted her to tell him what was bothering her, but Ahsoka was as stubborn as him.

What the Jedi Knight needed was patience, nerves of steel and a keen eye on her always.

Anakin entered the Command Center, rubbing his hands together, to find a thoughtful Ahsoka whose glare was lost in the fire. The Padawan was rubbing her hands together as well, in what seemed to be a reflex. The Jedi Knight noticed that her eyes were unfocused, as if her mind was somewhere else and she was absorbed by her own thoughts. Nevertheless, when he approached her a little bit more, his pupil exited her trance, giving a start and then looked at him with a slightly awkward expression.

The Jedi didn't know how to explain to her that the best thing wasn't to push him away, but to tell him what was bothering her. However he wasn't that good being diplomatic, worse if anything serious was implied; usually the aggressive negotiations turned out to be more fruitful. Even though the man doubted their usefulness in Ahsoka's case, he knew her well enough to assume such a thing–to be honest, sometimes he was pretty taken aback by how Ahsoka resembled himself as a Padawan.

The Jedi Knight wanted to keep her safe. He had sworn to protect her, but he could not do so if she didn't allow him to. Anakin swallowed, trying to control the flow of emotions, especially the one that had wrapped tightly in his stomach: fear. The fear of loss. He wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to his apprentice and he hadn't had done anything to prevent it.

_He wouldn't be able to take it. Not again._

Ahsoka started when she felt something brushing her shoulders. Her hands found their way to her belt, ready to light the lightsaber, but then felt the familiar weight on her right shoulder and relaxed. The young Togruta looked up and saw Anakin smiling lightly.

"It's freezing out there, you'll have to wear warm enough clothes," her Master recommended, a slight hint of worry altering the natural tone of his voice, "or you may not be a challenge for the separatist droids if you caught a flu." He added, jokingly.

Instead of getting upset at the joke, she just smiled. The Jedi Knight didn't know if he should think that reaction was unusual, then came to the conclusion that he was reading too much into it. What's more, wasn't that the same characteristic of his that Ahoska complained about all the time?

The man couldn't help but sigh, tired, letting himself fall on one of the bunk beds. Even given the brief break, he still felt uneasy. Not just about Ahsoka, but the mission also.

Ignoring the fact that he considered it a waste of time, he had seen the men fighting against the icy weather, watched them become exhausted, something that they would never admit even if he pointed his lightsaber to their hearts. The cold penetrated their bones, made their teeth chatter, even when they were wearing specially designed clothes to cope with it. The air was so dry and icy that it seemed they were breathing it. The little paths they cleared were soon blocked again by new tons of snow, and so on. Although the soldiers didn't stop working, he knew that their strength would soon start to dwindle –regardless of how much they had done to prevent it.

What Anakin feared was that the weather could likely finish them.

He rubbed his hands, trying to keep himself warm, but it was useless. He silenced a curse. During times like that he found himself missing the smothering heat of Tattooine, or even Mustafar with its piercing sulphur and dust scents popped up as a nicer place in his mind –regardless of how strange those thoughts may be.

When he looked up, saddened, his gaze met Ahsoka's, who was holding a steaming cup in her hands and had brought one closer to the little radiators. The Jedi grabbed the cup that was being offered to him and drank its contents, feeling the warm liquid comforting him as he drank.

"If anyone asks, I am not the one who brought along tablets of Trammistan chocolate." the Togruta declared, with a smile.

"That's selfish, Snips," her Master retorted, "the Jedi are supposed to think of others rather than themselves, and I don't think the soldiers will be pleased with your attitude."

"I've never said I wasn't going to share." She complained, her pride hurt. "What's more, I think that a great dose of endorphins would be the best thing to help them cope with the cold," she added by way of explanation.

Anakin nodded.

"I wish Master Plo were here." Ahsoka said suddenly. Her Master looked at her, raising an eyebrow, confused by her statement. "He can change the weather around him at will. I think it's thanks to his knowledge of physics. We could sure use a warmer climate."

The man couldn't help but laugh. If only he had paid more attention to those lessons instead of always focusing on the combat lessons. He definitely agreed with Ahsoka on that one.

They chatted for a while, planning a prank on Obi-Wan whenever they got back to Coruscant. Though the lack of apparent concern for his apprentice, Anakin could sense that beneath that façade, he concern remained. Nevertheless, maybe he could reason with her now that she had cooled down a bit. Besides, he really needed to know what she had felt during that vision aboard the Jedi Cruiser.

The question came out a little shyly, as he hadn't known exactly how to express himself in a way that wouldn't intimidate her. Ahsoka didn't answer right away. She stared at what was left of her chocolate instead, as if she was thinking cautiously about the answer.

"I don't know, there were so many emotions, but…" she stopped, as if she didn't know what to add or was fearful of what she might say.

Her Master encouraged her with a sensitive look.

"I've never felt so much pain. It was like someone was tearing my heart right from my chest." she tried to explain, unable to define it completely.

If Anakin's suppositions were correct, what Ahsoka had felt wasn't any physical pain. It was emotional, one so strong and overwhelming that it could only be related to loss. Then the question of 'Loss of what?' came up, along with the one that wondered if it had been a premonition or not–since Ahsoka had one once before.

Nevertheless, he didn't believe that insistence was an accurate course of action. During the brief interrogation, Anakin had felt Ahsoka's disturbance increasing –maybe she thought that if he was interested in the matter then it had to be something serious.

The last thing he wanted to do was make her more vulnerable by filling her with fears and insecurities. Anakin had learnt from the experience that premonitions tended to show up whenever the person was asleep, so he would have to look for any sign of anxiety during her sleep–and that seemed to be the most harmless way to investigate the whole thing.

"Ahsoka, if you need to talk about it, I'll listen to you." He told her, raising up from his seat slowly. "It's not good that you keep it for yourself. Believe me, it's worse."

"Then can I guess that we'll speak about what happened on Tattooine someday?" she asked cautiously, because even he had to admit that a hint of pain always appeared on his face whenever the planet was mentioned.

Although Anakin hated to talk about his past, he had to admit that it would be useless to demand trust from his Padawan if he didn't demonstrate that it was a mutual feeling. He nodded slightly, sighing in the process, as he let go a "some day" in a sharp tone, resigned.

Ahsoka watched him as he drifted away. Even though revealing what she felt relieved her a little bit, she could not stop thinking about the whole thing. She knew that premonition was linked with her ill feelings about the mission.

With that perspective, she couldn't help but get worried even more.

When she heard the wind humming outside, she stood up and grabbed the chocolate from her rucksack. She wasn't the only one that was dealing with a hard time. Focusing on the Jedi Philosophy, she left aside her own problems and concerns to concentrate on the soldiers who were freezing out there, maybe that way she would be able to stop thinking about the same thing over and over again.

**|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|**

The weather conditions didn't change at all on Hoth the next day. Indeed, they seemed to have gotten worse. During the night a strong blizzard had left the tents covered in snow, the paths were blocked again, and it was getting difficult to predict if the lead-coloured sky was going to shower them with another climatic catastrophe.

While the soldiers unblocked the paths, Captain Rex was in a meeting with General Skywalker to plan the excavations. The control points hadn't been damaged; however, the issue that they were dealing with was the survival of the lookouts, as the first case of hypothermia had been registered that very morning. If the weather conditions didn't dismiss, they suspected that the same thing would happen come night shift–and if there was a possibility that the separatists were on the planet, they couldn't just lose men before a battle.

"Sir, according to Echo's report," Rex said, while a holomap of the area popped up before them, "there's a valley surrounded by a mountain system which extends to the south east. He did not have the proper equipment to follow through and determinate what's on the other side of those mountains." He ended, looking at the report on his DataPad to make sure he hadn't skipped anything.

The Jedi Knight was staring at the controls before him. Rex could not assume if he was processing all the information he had just given him and was about to come up with an idea to pass through the mountains, or was thinking about the explorations. On the other hand, he could be thinking about anything else not linked with the mission at all. Rex had known him for a very long time by then, and he could assume that whenever he had that look he was worried about something–and the Clon Captain didn't need a deep investigation to figure that something out. Since they had arrived at the hangar at the Cruiser, he hadn't stopped gazing at the kid.

When Rex was thinking about coughing to attract his attention, the Jedi Knight sighed and then looked up, changing his expression to complete concentration.

"Maybe there's nothing on the other side or there might be. It wouldn't be the first time they located a base on a mountainside." He reflected, tapping his fingers against the edge of the holoreflector. "According to the previous reports we have of the planet, weather conditions are tougher up there… I don't think it's prudent to send a team on foot. We could use some of the Starfighters to get a better view from the sky."

The Captain nodded. When he was about to exit the room, he noticed the same look of preoccupation on the General's face. Rex knew that it would be impertinent to get into his business, but he also was aware of the fact that General Skywalker recognized the clones, unlike the majority of the senators did. For him they were not simple soldiers obliged to fight a war that wasn't theirs. No, for the General, they were companions, their men. The fact that he treated them as equals was, above all, what made Rex feel a strong loyalty towards him and any other member of the Jedi Order.

"General, is something up?" Rex asked, building up the courage to ask.

"I don't know, yet." he answered, maintaining the same frustrated expression.

"Does it have something to do with the kid, Sir? I mean, your Padawan…" he corrected himself, knowing that the Togruta would have given him a deadly look if she had heard it.

"Yes." the Jedi recognized, with a strange tint in his voice. "Sometimes… sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice. I don't mean I regret my choice of her as my apprentice, I just don't think that sending kids into battle is rational."

The statement tasted a bit bitter even though he recalled that back when he was a Padawan, there hadn't been anything he wanted more than to demonstrate that he could cope with anything. He had to accept, however, that sending them into battle was somewhat justifiable from a certain point of view, because it made them grow up faster, demanded them to be as rational as adults from one moment to the other if they wanted to keep themselves alive.

"Sir, I believe that Ahsoka's demonstrated that she can cope with that, and besides…" he was just about to add something, but he stopped at the middle of the sentence.

"Yes, Rex?" the Jedi pressed him, an order expressed politely.

"I beg you forgive my impertinence, General, but I've never heard you mention this before and I thought you agreed on this matter," he hoped to keep his head in place after spilling out what had been on his mind, "have you changed your mind? Are you afraid for Ahsoka?"

Anakin didn't know how to answer, maybe because of the way the Captain phrased it, keeping everything aboveboard –something that was unusual in the behaviour of a clone. Nevertheless, deep inside him he knew that Rex was right, that the fear of loss could be a great enemy–mainly in his case, because he skipped the law of the Jedi Code of not bonding with anyone.

"You may be right." he accepted. "It's just… I've noticed her uneasy lately, and I fear that could affect her somehow and make her vulnerable. You know how dangerous this can get if we have to battle…"

"Yes, Sir, but I also know that, no matter what, your Padawan has proven to be a remarkable warrior, and I am sure she is up to the challenge."

"I hope you're right." Anakin said in return. "I think we should get going to see those starfighters. I trust your judgement to choose a crew of six men who will do the first aerial exploration to the mountains."

And that was how they returned their focus back to the war. They exited the Command Centre and headed to one of the caves, where the starfighters Delta-7 Aethersprite had been placed. Anakin could sense the frustration and the tiredness floating in the soldiers' minds, and again he asked himself if his suspicions about the mission could come true. The sooner they finished inspecting that block of ice, the sooner they could get out of there—if they didn't receive any communication about attacks or enemy bases from the other teams who were exploring the other planets of the Hoth System.

When they were checking the proper function of the starfighters, Anakin caught a glimpse of Ahsoka from the corner of his eye. She was a little aside of the camp, sitting on a rock. Her sight seemed to be lost in the white landscape and her expression hadn't changed a lot since they left Courscant, if he avoided the fact that she was a little bit pale thanks to the icy cold.

The Jedi felt useless because he couldn't help her. And even though it sounded stupid, he thought of himself to be a failure as a Master, being unable to cope with something like that and asked himself how Obi-Wan managed to deal with him all those years. Somehow, he knew he had to cool her down by making her think about something else. If she were too busy trying to solve some other problem, there would be less opportunities for her to think about what was really bothering her.

He shook some of the snow off his coat. The Jedi needed her to be distracted, but had no clue of how to do so. Patrol was not an option since he knew that she would end up thinking about the same thing again somehow. Meditating wouldn't be any help unless he wanted her to worry more. The cold must have been freezing his brain, because he had no ideas.

Anakin stared at the snowflakes that were melting slowly on his hand. Suddenly, his blue eyes lit up when the idea crossed his mind. He smiled.

"Ahsoka! Think fast!"

The shout of her Master was the only alarm she had before something crashed against her face, dragging her out of the trance roughly. That something was extremely cold and tasted strangely. Coughing, she raised up, taking off the snow which was burning her skin.

When the Togruta looked up she saw her Master grinning.

"I was just testing your reflexes, my young Padawan." He explained, serious, as he watched her sighing.

Ahsoka glared at him as she took off the snow from her hood. When her Master got closer to apologize for throwing a snow ball at her, she quickly used the Force to push him away.

Anakin, taken by surprise, didn't manage to block it and was pushed backwards, slipping through the frozen floor. Okay, he had pissed her off. However, as soon as the sound of Ahsoka's laugh reached his ears he knew that it had just been a trick to distract him–the Jedi checked that theory when a snow ball hit him right on his face.

"I hope you allow me to do the same, Master."

Anakin would have sworn to anyone who dared to ask that it was a training exercise. Fortunately, none of the soldiers got angry whenever a snowball hit them, after its trajectory had been modified by the Force. The majority of them just watched the scene, curious.

"This is what they were referring to when they said that General Skwyalker's methods are unconventional, sir?" one of the new soldiers asked to his close superior.

The Clone Captain nodded. He had never heard of a Jedi Master behaving like this with its Padawan either, although he would never dare to question the teaching methods of the General, mainly because the eyes of the young Togruta weren't clouded any more and Rex could see them shining with that liveliness.

A laugh vibrated in his throat when Ahsoka made something that was holding a great amount of snow collapse right on the Jedi, leaving him covered in snow and buried up to his knees.

"That's not fair, Snips!" he heard him barked at her, faked anger in his voice.

Rex put his helmet on and wished luck to the men designated to do the aerial exploration. When they got lost in the grey sky, he headed to the Command Centre to monitor the area as well as to take any entrance holo-call.

Nevertheless, neither the Jedis who were having a snow fight, nor the clones who were patrolling the area with their electro-binoculars became aware of a shade that seemed to smell the air, camouflaged by the slight blizzard.

The creature seemed to stare at the movement of its prey, but his analysis revealed that they would not be an easy opponent. He turned around to go as silently as he had arrived, without being detected. But as soon as he did so, another silhouette formed next to the first one. This last one mounted on the creature, before giving a last glance to the camp. A pair of light-blue eyes shined brightly with a light of murdering hate.

* * *

Thoughts? The next chapter will be the last one about the mission to Hoth, and its relevance will be revealed at last –because up to now it appears to be meaningless. Anyway, I really want to thank you guys once again for your support, I was thrilled to see how many people have submitted the story to their favourites and so on. You encourage me to keep writing and I feel so grateful that it would be impossible to put it into words.

I hope you've liked the chapter! :) Since my courses are starting next week I am not sure when the next update would be but I'll do my best to update as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

**.Onryo.**


	6. Chapter 5

First of all, I am deeply sorry it took me so long to update. I've been really busy with University, and finding enough free time to write is getting more and more difficult. However, even if it takes me months I'll update this story –I am very fond of it, not just because it has enabled me to practice my language skills as well as enrich my vocabulary, but also because I've the most adorable readers in the world and I don't want to let you guys down :) So, please, enjoy this chapter as I apologise over and over again for the delay.

* * *

_Chapter V_

"This is Red Leader, move to zone 3-4-6-7."

The silence surrounding the pilots vanished abruptly when their superior's voice sounded through the comms. They shifted the controls to turn their ships towards the indicated zone, located only a few meters to the right. Though not everything was as simple as it that. They had to face the strong ice-cold wind draughts that threatened to divert them.

The six ships held the formation, flying over the place slowly and with the infrared scan equipment activated so they wouldn't miss any detail of the terrain. There weren't a lot of interesting things, one of the soldiers thought. No matter the direction of his stare, there were just rock formations of curious shapes here and there, covered with a bright white cloth of snow and ice.

"Relax, Lwet," a voice uttered through the com-link, "It's fine that the Captain ordered you to lead the mission, but this is just a reconnaissance mission, man. We're not about to attack a Separatist fleet."

Everyone could hear the growl vibrating through the com-link, a little distorted by the static.

"It's my duty, soldier," was the typical answer to his joking partner. "You ought to do the same. Any mission, no matter how small or silly it may seem, is important and we have to fulfil it with the diligence and professionalism that's expected of us as soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic."

Trip, the one who had made that innocent comment earlier, had to hold back laughter. Lwet had always been a bit rigid about military etiquette. He'd hardly been seen relaxed or without that veil of military rectitude that characterised most of the clones. On the other hand, Trip didn't get to understand the mission. The soldier didn't need special Jedi powers to figure out that the Separatist presence in the Hoth System was improbable. Therefore, it made no sense that they couldn't chat at least a bit about meaningless things, just to break down the monotony of the reconnaissance mission and not feel as if the boredom was suffocating them –Lwet, however, didn't seem to share that point of view.

"Don't be so rigid, Lwet," he dared his superior again, "or you may not be able to take the armour off once we get back to the base."

All of the crew had to hold back the laughter that threatened to overtake them when the leader gave the pilot a lecture - who limited to follow the course, smiling widely. Lwet just hoped that Captain Rex had forgotten the password to the link of the communicators; it'd be embarrassing for them if he was listening to such an example of indiscipline.

Not only was he on the verge of becoming an ice cube, but he also had to deal with a bunch of insolent soldiers. Fortunately, the disobedience of some of his direct orders would only mean the loss of some topography data and not the death of an entire battalion.

Even through the harshness of the cold, the sky was clear and there seemed to be no sign of an upcoming blizzard. The stars were blinking intensely, as if each one of them was a bright, faraway sun. All that could be heard was the whisper of the wind as it went through the walls of the mountains, following their natural labyrinth. Everything was at ease, and the clones felt comforted –because even though they were surrounded by cold and darkness, they would have to worry about nothing more but the exploration of the zone.

The six starfighters followed their course, directed by the authoritative voice of Lieutenant Lwet and relaxed by the jokes of Trip. The quicker they ended the mission, the sooner they'd be able to return to the base—which would mean a great amount of sleep. Even though they were dedicated soldiers they couldn't ignore their own need for rest.

They had been exploring the zone in total darkness for about three hours when one of the pilots slowed his vehicle abruptly. Klamp felt as if his heart had climbed all the way up to his throat. He adjusted the electro-binoculars and focused them on one spot in the rocky formations. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary where he thought he had seen something.

A few meters to his left, Jyx and Howp seemed to have caught the same anomaly and forgot they were supposed to keep going. As soon as Lwet make a fuss about it, the three pilots cut him off to say that they'd seen something unusual, or at least they thought they had seen something moving in the snow.

"Could you see it clearly, soldier?" Lwet asked Howp, who had been the first one to cut his scolding short.

"No, Sir. I can't say 100 percent what it was exactly, but I can assure you, Sir, that something was moving on that crag." He stated.

Maybe it was a simple optic illusion caused by the lack of light and sleep, Roij thought, trying to calm himself down. Lwet, on the other hand, knew that they couldn't look the other way around and his heart filled up with pride as the thought of finally being able to lead his men on the field. The lieutenant had always thought about being something more than a clone dedicated to reduce droids to spare parts.

He ordered the soldiers to land and the six starfighters, Delta-7 Aethersprite, reduced their height, slowly, until they were on the treacherous snowed ground. All of the clones turned on the torches of their helmets to have better view and started to inspect the area carefully. The snow crunched under their feet. They felt the cold getting through the joints of their armour, heard the continuous whisper of the icy wind. The soldiers were surrounded by the loneliness and desolation of that white, indomitable landscape.

"Is everything okay over there, shiny?" Trip teased Roij through the communication channel.

Roij didn't answer. It had been said some experienced soldiers liked to tease and mock the new ones, but he didn't care about it that much. As Lieutenant Lwet had said, they were there to protect the Republic against the Separatist's threat. It was their duty to make sure that Hoth didn't hold something that could endanger what they were safeguarding.

When Roij was about to turn around to inform his companions that he hadn't found anything out of the ordinary, he caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of his eye. He threw himself behind a big rock and set all his senses to maximum alert. The howl of the wind was the only thing he could hear. The soldier turned off the lights of his helmet to maintain his position away from the enemy.

Guarded, he abandoned his hideout to move forward as quietly as he could. The nerves had transformed into a tight knot in his stomach. They relaxed a little bit as he wasn't finding anything. Whatever it was it could have been gone by now. Using his training, he slid slowly to inspect the place. There was no doubt that the mess of the snow, scattered, meant that someone –or something- had gone pass by that place sometime in the recent past. He tried to identify the prints in the snow. It had been a very big animal, or else two creatures were there.

That conclusion didn't make him feel better.

His teeth chattered.

But neither the cold nor the darkness was to blame. There was something that gave him the creeps, something that he could not completely define, but he knew for sure that they weren't alone in these mountains. Roij took his gun and removed the safety catch.

The bad feeling was beating in his veins, sending adrenaline through his whole system. It'd be better if he had told his companions about his discoveries. But the instant he pressed the button of his communicator, the cold that surrounded him suddenly disappeared and all he could feel was a scorching heat burning his insides.

His skin and armour sizzled. Roij could only exhale a scream that was silenced by the whisper of the wind. Roij collapsed to the ground. The others followed until there was no sound to disturb the song of the wind, which had brought an angel of death, silent and merciless, with light-blue eyes.

Nothing more but the snow was left as a witness and accomplice to the killing. It would take care of covering the tracks of the murderer and covering the bodies. The assassin stalked away at a solemn pace as he waited for his next victims.

**|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|**

A little Togruta put on her wool lined coat before going outside to meet the morning cold. Her blue eyes observed the snowed landscape. She'd never seen anything so beautiful and devastating at the same time. No matter how far her sight wandered, there was nothing to see but pure whiteness, slightly interrupted by rocks and the pallid colour of the sky.

"Aren't you freezing out here, Snips?"

The voice of her Master interrupted her thoughts.

"A little," the Padawan said, "but I guess I've found the bright side of this mission. Have you ever seen something like this, Master?" her voice filled with fascination, while her glare was lost in the horizon again.

"Not really," the Jedi knight recognized, "but I understand your point."

Something else could be breathed in that place, some sort of peace. Ahsoka didn't know if it was related to the wildness of the planet, since Hoth was one of the few systems that hadn't been affected by the war so far. Most likely it was because of the hard weather conditions and the fact that living somewhere like this was nearly impossible.

Ahsoka sighed. The war had changed everything. It hadn't just affected the freedom that was once common in the galaxy, but also the lives of every single inhabitant regardless of race or origin. What had started as a mere discussion in the Galactic Senate for political and economic reasons had quickly developed into a heated dispute. Soon the battlefield moved from an institution of the Republic to the entire landscape. Even the Jedi Order had been affected, being forced to take part in the conflict as the principal republic tool to command its army.

But that wasn't the end of it. There was a part even _darker_ and more terrifying than war. Complots, agreements, betrayals in benefit of a few that ended up damaging thousands of people. The war was of benefit to several systems and entities, among them the Trade Federation and the Banking Clan, and even weapon manufacturers.

Politics weren't Ahsoka's thing. They were treacherous and the majority of the politicians weren't interested in the common good but in their own enrichment. She preferred to solve the problems more directly. Aggressive negotiations were more interesting and productive than diplomacy. As Master Kenobi said, wise words could prevent the unnecessary loss of life.

Sometimes she had her doubts. Ahoska wondered if the Jedis were doing the right thing in taking part in the conflict. Although they swore loyalty to democracy, freedom and the Republic, wasn't it contradictory to accomplish peace through fighting? What were they going to do when the war ended?

She moved her head uncomfortably, trying to brush those kinds of thoughts aside. Maybe so many visits to the Senate had paid off. It seemed that chatting with senators like Bail Organa and Padme Amidala had planted a diplomatic seed in her. However, it was the same dilemma that had tormented the Padawan in Maridum. She had come to the same conclusion as Master Secura: _freedom was worth fighting for_.

At the front Ahsoka had learned a lot about values like honour, friendship, loyalty and courage. Her Master and the clone troops had been the ones who instructed her. She wouldn't have learned those things from studying at the Temple.

Maybe that was why she didn't like politicians either, since nearly all of them tended to see the clones as mere tools to win the war, considering them as being equal to droids. It was a terrible misconception because clones were human beings. Even if they kept their emotions at ease, they did feel the brutality of the war. Maybe more than anyone else did. Every time a soldier died, a brother was killed. And thousands of them died each day.

Those were two things that she had in common with her Master. Both of them didn't like politicians and trusted few people.

"Do you copy me, Snips?" her Master asked. He looked as if he were about to laugh.

"I apologize for my lack of attention, Master." Ahsoka said, rearranging the hood of her coat.

"I'll accept your apology if we get in right now," he smiled.

Ahoska nodded. They both entered one of the caves. Ships and various vehicles had been stored there. A group of soldiers were sitting on some supply boxes. They seemed a little bit worried, judging by their expressions.

Surprised, Ahsoka and her Master approached. The soldiers tensed when they acknowledged their presence and started to get up to greet their superior as it was requested of them, but Anakin stopped them with a gesture of his right hand. The clone troopers sat down again and looked at him.

"How's everything going, soldiers?" he inquired.

"Okay for us, sir," one of them answered. "But maybe the explorers can't say the same."

"What do you mean?"

"They haven't reported in yet, sir, and their round wasn't that long. They should have arrived at the base five hours ago, sir," another one cut in.

Anakin's brows furrowed. It was odd that six men had disappeared like that. He had to talk with Captain Rex immediately. Maybe he had more information. Anakin tried to reassure the soldiers and then headed to the Command Centre, followed closely by his apprentice.

Ahsoka started to feel uneasy again. Did her bad feeling have something to do with the disappearance of those soldiers? Even if she tried her best she couldn't keep those thoughts away from her mind. She knew somehow that the events were connected.

What could have happened? Certainly, Hoth seemed to be the most inoffensive planet they had been to thus far. There was no threat of dangerous animals or tribes. Aside from the weather conditions, there seemed to be nothing detrimental to the survival of the troops. They could have miscalculated, however.

Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe they had an accident at the top of the mountain, or the communications didn't work and they couldn't come back. It was better than the alternative. It scared Ahsoka to relate both things to the vision she had abroad the Jedi Cruiser.

"Captain Rex, do you know something about the exploration patrol that we sent yesterday night?"

Ahsoka had been so lost in her own thoughts that she couldn't tell when they arrived to the Command Centre.

"Nothing, sir." Rex answered. "Judging by the track signals of the starfighters, they were somewhere in the 3-4-6-7 zone of the 7 sector when they got interrupted." The clone paused and his expression turned thoughtful. "I'd hate to jump to any conclusions, sir, but it'd be possible that their equipment was damaged by the cold and the security guard had a technical problem with their speeders."

"I guess we'd have to go and get them. I don't know how long they could resist this cold without any support." Anakin decided.

Rex would've expected less from the General. To be honest, he wanted to believe that the inconvenience had to do with a failure, but like Ahsoka, the planet gave him the creeps. It was too calm for his taste. The stillness was suspicious. There could have always been something hiding somewhere on the planet, waiting for the right moment to attack. He hoped that his men were safe, that it was just a technical problem and nothing else. They couldn't deal with a hostile tribe and the Separatists at the same time.

"If they've spent the night there, it's possible some of the crew may have caught hypothermia." said Anakin, while he inspected one of the nearest data-pads. "Ahsoka, come with me to the ship. While I'm checking that all systems are functioning with Rex, you'll have to make sure that the med-droid is fully operational."

Ahoska nodded and followed her Master and the Captain who were heading quickly to the hangar, a bit overwhelmed that the lives of the soldiers were practically depending on her this time.

Master and Padawan could both feel in the Force that something was going to happen, but neither of them expressed this out loud. Anakin feared that the situation affected his Padawan somehow. She was already too thoughtful.

Before they took off, he made sure that the communicators were functioning correctly in case they had to ask for reinforcements, something he wasn't looking forward to. In his mind he started to develop different hypotheses for what happened. Even when the idea of a technical failure was tempting, he knew there was something more to it. The whole situation was strange, since the starfighters were prepared to deal with the conditions of outer space, which made the possibility of being overwhelmed by the weather very hard to believe, even if it was as extreme as it was in Hoth.

Something definitely wasn't okay.

**|/.x.x.\\|/.x.x.\\|**

"Everything okay over there, Snips?" Anakin asked through his comm-link.

"Everything's in order, Master." Ahsoka answered. "We're approaching to the coordinates that Rex gave us."

The closer they got, the more palpable the unease became. She dreaded that the vision above the Jedi Cruiser was related with that mission. That sensation of devastating loss had nearly killed her inside... She had heard about Jedis that could see the future, who could see the death of people. Did the vision mean that she was going to lose someone _close_ to her?

Jedis didn't fear death; quite the opposite. They revered those who abandoned the earthly world to be one with the Force. Since she was a child, Ahsoka had heard it thousands of times. She had even thought that she understood. But now that she reflected on it, she wasn't so sure that she would feel happy to lose someone she cared for.

Since she had got out of the Temple so many years ago to become a Padawan, she had learned a lot. Especially about that troubling and forbidden topic for Jedis: _bonding_. A lot of times she'd found herself wondering if she should have had a more distant attitude toward her Master, the clones, or her superiors. But such a thing had been impossible. Ahsoka couldn't help but let affection make a nest in her chest. For example, what would have she done in those long space trips if Barris hadn't been there to chat? Or what about Master Plo, who had guided and given her advice since she was a child, being the father she never had? There were also Master Kenobi and, of course, her Master.

To be honest, with the last one she had started off on the wrong foot. But it soon became obvious that, no matter what, they made quite a good team. He was a good teacher, maybe very overprotective –although Anakin would never admit that. Ahsoka had realised that Anakin Skywalker was extremely loyal to people, he'd never leave a man behind, and that was something that the young Togruta respected and admired him for. He'd never leave someone in danger if he could prevent it.

However, she had also developed an overprotective behaviour towards him. What had started like a joke soon became an implicit duty, to the point of arguing and trying by all means to be assigned to the majority –if not all- the mission in which his life could be at risk. Who was going to watch his back? Obi-Wan would have done so, she was sure of that, but the Padawan knew that they were assigned to different missions from time to time.

Although the mere thought was stupid, Ahsoka was afraid for his life. Because Anakin was reckless and impulsive, just like her, and sometimes she was tormented by the thought of what could happen if one of his plans didn't come out the way they were supposed to...

Yes, it was indeed stupid. But she couldn't help it.

"Prepare to land, Ahsoka." The voice of her Master interrupted her line of thoughts.

She realised they were flying above a mountain zone, of sides considerably sheer. The sun light pulled out a light brightness from the ice, between a white and blue tone, which only succeeded in underline that feeling of icy cold.

The astromech droids emitted a loud beeping sound before they started with the landing manoeuvres. Ahsoka had the same opinion about R5. That place gave her the creeps.

The snow crunched under their feet. Ahsoka tried to identify something among all the snow, the wind humming in her ears. The blizzard wasn't good for her sight.

"_Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them."_

After ordering the droids to look for life forms on their scanners, Anakin and Ahsoka started to explore the terrain in their search for the men. They both knew that those soldiers were counting on their help, because they knew that in their eyes they weren't just clones, they were their men, their crew.

Ahsoka focused as hard as she could, trying to detect any flow in the Force that could give her a sign in the right direction: hope, desperation, anything that could indicate that Trip, Roij, Lwet, Jynx, Howp and Klamp were there.

Ahsoka kept her eyes closed, focused, when suddenly she felt her feet collide with something. She didn't feel any flow in the Force, unluckily. Ahsoka opened her eyes. She had run into a simple rock. However, after a quick look, she realised it was big enough to shield someone from the cold.

Without thinking twice, she enclosed it. There was nothing there but snow, but her stomach tightened suddenly. Ahsoka started to dig, the weather chilling her fingers. With each handful of snow she got out, the feeling of unease intensified.

She never wanted to consider that possibility.

Her fingers touched something more solid than snow, although it was equally white. With her heart in her mouth, Ahsoka kept digging, only to unearth the helmet of a clone trooper.

"Master, I've found something." She shouted over the wind.

Anakin was already beside her.

"He's dead," Anakin started. "That's why neither R2 nor R5 registered anything on their scanners... We've to find the rest of the men, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka felt her heart compressing from the guilt. Should she have seen it coming? Were those deaths related to her vision? She should have done something to prevent it. She had the silly hope that maybe the others had stumbled upon a different conclusion, but it shattered to pieces a few minutes later.

Each one of them was dead.

"You watch my back, and I watch yours."

Rex's words resounded inside her mind. The guilt built stronger, a knot in her stomach appeared. She warn about something like that, and even then she did nothing. She'd decided to look the other way, hiding her vision from her Master. And six clones had paid for her stupidity.

_The eyes of the silent predator caught sight of the new beings that arrived to its hunting ground. Its approach was stealthy, its advance guarded by the blizzard. The weaker of them was identified-a little Togruta that seemed too lost in her own thoughts._

_Its lips curved into a smile. It was ready to jump._

* * *

So, yeah, I know I've told you in the last chapter that the importance of this mission and its relevance to the story was going to be revealed in this chapter. However, my muses have thought otherwise, since they decided to over-inspire me and I ended up writing an extra-long chapter that I actually had to split in two parts. However, I do hope you have enjoyed it :) Oh, and I'll be posting the next chapter by Wednesdays/Thursday next week -I know, it's a miracle xD.

I'd want to thank my beta, Saint Sentiment, once again for all the patience and the help. Also, I want to thank you all, my dearest readers -you can't imagine how hard it was to read your lovely reviews and not be able to work on the chapter due to lack of time. I just want you to know that it is your constant feedback and support what encourages me to keep translating this story, so thanks for everything! :)

Kind regards,

**.Onryo.**


	7. Chapter 6

_Chapter VI_

Ahsoka detected a flow in the Force. Anxiety. She rolled on her side, moving from the spot where she was standing, when a sparkling against the snow could be heard beside her. The young Padawan switched her lightsaber on, blocking a sword thrust that was aimed to her face. Without thinking, she drove herself backwards with a Force push, to fell on her feet a few meters away. She took up the saber, a defensive position.

"Look who we have here, Skywalker's pet."

_Ventress._

Ahsoka saw the red lighting of her opponent weapon shining in the blizzard. Dooku's assassin looked at her, eyes half closed, contempt and mockery combined in her glare. Ventress didn't see Ahsoka as a threat.

They studied each other for a brief moment. Then they unsheathed their weapons, the crackle of lightsabers colliding. Ahsoka managed to block each sabre thrust, keeping away from Ventress as much as she could, keeping up her defensive stance.

She made quickly feints, hoping to wipe out her opponent eventually. But the Sith was tenacious, fighting with rage and aggressiveness. Ahoska had to muster all her knowledge in _Ataru_ to keep her at distance, combining feints with jumps and Force-pushes.

But the Padawan didn't know how long she would be able to hold out against the violent _Djem So_. There were various thrusts that she was barely able to deflect. She knew she needed to keep focused. Don't think, just act. A moment's pause to think could cost Ahsoka her life.

"Don't think. It can kill you." The advice that her Master once had given her echoed in her mind.

Ahsoka could not help but wish that he hadn't gone to contact Rex.

_Thinking can get you killed._

Ahsoka was barely able to see the blade in the corner of her eyes. It swung in a fast blur of red colour. She felt the excruciating pain and heard the hiss when the blade met her skin, leaving a deep gash across her right shoulder.

Blinded from the sharp pain, the lightsaber fell out of her grasp to the ground. A moment later, she was shoved away violently. Ahsoka tried to ignore the waves of pain, but it was too intense to be able to do so.

In the rush of the battle, she hadn't realized she was at the edge of a cliff. The only thing her eyes could see were sharp-edged rocks descending into a dark abyss.

"How do you think Skywalker will react when he finds out where his pet has gone to?" Ventress mocked.

Ventress closed in on Ahsoka, pointing her lightsaber at Ahsoka's heart.

"It'll be a long fall."

Ahsoka tried to push her away, but her strength struggled with the wound and the dizziness wasn't any help either. Ventress let out a laugh that sent shivers through Ahsoka's spine. Ahsoka tried to think about a way out. She could harm Ventress with her lightsaber and then run away as quickly as she could, but she could hardly remember where her weapon had fallen.

So this was how her life would end. At Ventress' hands. A painful fall into the abyss. In spite of the things she had learned at the Temple, she was afraid of dying. Her throat was nothing but a tight knot. Only one thought that filled her mind: A mute and desperate scream of help to the only person who could save her.

Ventress took another step towards her. Desperation overwhelmed her even more, making her tremble slightly. A wide smile was drawn on Ventress's face. Ahsoka closed her eyes.

_Master!_

She was pushed roughly to a side instead by a sudden force. Her body hit the iced ground. She held back a scream of pain and tried to stand up, although her efforts were in vain. Gathering all the concentration she could, was able to deflect the sensation of pain to the back of her mind. A few seconds later, she was able to stand on her feet, finding a fulcrum in the nearest pile of snow and rocks.

Her head was spinning and everything was up in the air.

Suddenly, she heard the familiar hiss. Through the blizzard she was able to distinguish a two- coloured red and blue blur, which was moving incredibly fast. She guessed the figures of the two fighters. Both, Ventress and Anakin, were fighting violently, with such aggressiveness that the lightsabers seemed to shriek whenever they collide.

The first time that Ahsoka had seen her Master exchanging blows with some enemy, she was surprised by his fighting style. Not only because he was efficient in his technique, but also because he was one of the few people who used the Djem So with such naturalness. Whenever she saw him fight, it was as if every movement the aggressiveness and the violence were in the right proportions to make them an attack and a defense at the same time. It was as if he was drowned into the fight, merged with the Force.

It was the overpowering determination of Anakin's fight style that she found captivating and fearful at the same time. Watching him fighting Dooku's assassin, Ahsoka couldn't help but notice the rage and hate that emanate from him, with a constant flow. Each movement was directed brutally to weak point of his enemy's body. Ventress could barely dodge them, answering with the same dose of anger.

"I won't let you escape this time, Ventress!" Anakin hissed.

"Oh, it seems I've touched a nerve, Skywalker. Who would have thought that a Jedi like you can succumb to such dark emotions?" Her lips twisted into an evil smile. "It's a shame, actually, that I didn't have enough time to take care of your pet -That would have provoked a very interesting reaction, don't you think?"

Anakin growled and charged at her, directing a mortal sabre-thrust to her neck. Ventress was somehow able to dodge it. Nevertheless, her relief wasn't long, since the Jedi Knight charged at her once again but this time the lightsaber was aiming directly to her head. The assassin blocked the thrust with her sabre, but Anakin took advantage of her astonishment to kick her hardly in the abdomen, which made her fall backwards.

With the strength of his own weight and the anger that was boiling inside him, Anakin brought his lightsaber closer to Ventress, slowly defeating the saber block of his opponent.

In that moment, there was nothing in his mind but dark emotions feeding with his anger, rage and rancour, and also with his desire for vengeance. He couldn't save his mother a few years ago in Tatooine, and he wasn't going to let that happen again with Ahsoka.

There was no sign of compassion in Anakin.

Ventress deserved to die.

He pushed down harder. The blades of the lighstabers seemed to shriek in pain.

Anakin could feel the fear in the Force flow. He had felt it all those years ago in Tatooine, when he merciless massacred a whole village of Sand People. They had it coming; those animals had killed his mother. Ventress had tried to kill Ahsoka and was going to pay for that in the same way those Tusken had.

"Master" Ahsoka screamed loudly. "This isn't right, we have to take her before the Council to make her pay for all the crimes she had committed" She tried to make him come to his senses, but Anakin didn't hear her or wasn't willing to do so.

His apprentice was right. But Ventress was far too dangerous to be kept alive. How many lives had she already ended? Maybe for the politicians a few clones more or less didn't make a difference because they could be replaced easily. Anakin didn't share that thought. Ventress had already killed a lot of men from the 5O1 Legion, she had tried to kill Ahsoka. Anakin wasn't going to let her get away with it that easily.

But suddenly, the Force flow changed and the fear wasn't coming from Ventress but from Ahsoka.

In his desire of vengeance, the Jedi hadn't realized that one of the assassin's hands was free, and she had taken advantage of it as soon as she could. Because there was indeed a weakness she could exploit to save her life and that was his Padawan.

The young Togruta could barely stand upright, fighting against the Force push as much as the fatigue let her.

Anakin was stupefied. How could he let that happen? When had he become so distracted? A hard blow to his stomach was all the answer, and before he could respond Ventress had already moved him away from her.

"It's as simple as this, Skywalker: you surrender or your Padawan will never finish her training. Is your decision." Ventress said, coldly.

"Let her go, Ventress." Anakin growled at her threateningly.

"Or what, Skywalker?" She answered back, smiling mockingly. "Are you going to kill me? Because maybe I should remind you that you, Jedis, are not so different from any other living creature and therefore you can die." She said, while the hate was shining fiercely in her light-blue eyes.

Suddenly, one of Ventress' hands clenched in a fist.

Ahsoka quickly got her hands to her neck when she felt her throat closing, fighting to get air, but her lungs found nothing to breathe. Her head started to spin. In the whirl of desperation she tried to cry for help, but there was no way she could articulate the words. All Ahsoka managed to do was moving her face towards her Master, as she wept silently -as she wept tears of fear and despair.

"No matter what you do, either you attack or defend yourself, you know you won't be able to keep both of you safe. You know it, Skywalker. Surrender or she dies."

Anakin had to swallow his anger. He turned his lightsabre off and before the big-headed gaze of the assasin, he let it fall to the snowed soil.

"Let her go, Ventress." He demanded, acidly.

The hand of the woman in question relaxed and Ahsoka's gasps could be heard as she was able to breathe once again. He looked at her by the corner of his eye, as he felt hatred towards himself for putting her at risk like that, silently asking for forgiveness.

"You Jedis are monumentally stupid. Look at you, how pathetic you are, saving your Padawan out of compassion." Ventress said, as she parsimoniously walked around him, reveling in her victory.

Anakin clenched his fist, suppressing the urge to attack her. She could still hurt Ahsoka. He swallowed his emotions, but the hatred escalated quickly. Anakin knew that while he was worried about Ahsoka's security, he was too vulnerable. And Ventress was fully aware of that.

"And that compassion, Skywalker, is bound to get yourself killed." The assassin whispered with maliciousness, slightly closing her eyes.

Although Anakin activated his lightsabre faster than the blink of an eye, it was too late. An unbereable, searing pain travelled through the right side of his torso. Ventress smiled, satisfied with herself, finding the taste of revenge absolutely delicious.

Ahsoka felt like her heart stopped when the red blade pierced her Master's body. She tried to drift the woman away from him, but she could only stumble before falling helplessly to the icy-cold snowed soil. Ahsoka's eyes brimmed with tears when Anakin winced in pain.

But the worst emotion of them all was the one that overtook her afterwards, when she saw him fall from the edge of the cliff.

"Master!" The desperate scream echoed in the mountains, the tears streaking her face.

Ahsoka felt the anger and hate building up inside her. Using all the strength she was able to summon up, she grabbed her lightsabre tightly and rushed towards Ventress, with the clear purpose of avenging her Master. But then the desire for revenge had blinded her, and the thrust that she was meant to aim at Ventress' head was easily blocked by the assassin.

"I suppose you'll be joining your Master before I've intended to, young one."

_And once again Ahsoka was unable to do something to change her fate, but look powerlessly how she rushed towards the abyssal vacuum._

* * *

I'm sincerely ashamed that it's taken me this long to update, life and University have been hectic these past few months and I'm truly, deeply sorry that I couldn't get to you sooner. I do hope you have still enjoyed the chapter, though! I can't assure you when I'm going to update again but I won't ever abandon this story -it means a lot to me, really. I just want to thank all of you guys, my readers, most of all thanks for the patience! I really hope this chapter was worthy of the wait :)

Kind regards,  
**.Onryo.**


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